Method and device for assembling warps for fabrics

ABSTRACT

A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING WARPS FOR SPECIMENS OF STRIPED AND CHECKED FABRICS. A GROUP OF THREADS COMPRISING ONE THREAD OF EACH KIND AND COLOR OCCURING IN THE DESIRED PATTERN IS CONTINUOUSLY WOUND ONTO A ROTATING BODY HAVING A SMALL WINDING DIAMETER ON WHICH THE SAID GROUP OF THREADS IS WOUND AND HAVING A LARGE WINDING DIAMETER TO WHICH, AT EVERY TURN OR FIXED NUMBER OR TURNS, A SINGLE THREAD, EACH TIME SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF THREADS IN THE SEQUENCE COMFORMING TO THE DESIRED PATTERN, IS TRANSFERRED

United States Patent Inventors Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Priority Johannes G. M. C. H. van Luyk;

Herman Huskes, Enschede, Netherlands 800,659

Feb. 19, 1969 28 1971 Koninklijke Nedelandse Textiel-Unie N.\'., Hengelo (Ov.), The Netherlands Feb. 22, 1969 Netherlands METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING WARPS FOR FABRICS 8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 28/22,

28/72.5 Int. Cl. D021! 3/00 Field of Search 28/22,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,247,568 4/1966 Baltzer 28/22 3,365,765 l/l968 Baltzer 28/22 Primary Examiner- Louis K. Rimrodt Azt0rney-Brumbaugh, Graves, Donohue & Raymond ABSTRACT: A method and apparatus for assembling warps for specimens of striped and checked fabrics. A group of threads comprising one thread of each kind and color occurring in the desired pattern is continuously wound onto a rotating body having a small winding diameter on which the said group of threads is wound and having a large winding diameter to which, at every turn or fixed number of turns, a single thread, each time selected from the group of threads in the sequence conforming to the desired pattern, is transferred.

FABRICS The invention relates to a method and a device for assembling according to a random pattern warps for the manufacture of fabrics from two or more yarns differing from each other, in particular the comparatively short warps for the manufacture of fabric specimens. 1

In preparing a warp for a multicolored fabric a sequential arrangement of e.g. 4,000 threads must be provided and a lease must be laid, to separate the even and odd threads from each other locally to keep the threads in the proper sequence, before the warp can be wound on to the warp beam. This is a time-consuming and therefore expensive job, which, however, is acceptable yet, with warps for the normal production, because of the great length of these warps. Of most of the operations that have to be performed when preparing a warp, the time needed for them is independent of specimens that the length of the warp. This means that manufacturing warps for specimens that usually have only a length of some meters up to some tens of meters and of which sometimes some hundreds are needed, is comparatively very time-consuming and expensive if for this purpose the production machines have to be used. Through this it is not uncustomary that e.g. for composing a spring collection-the productive capacity of the preparation department is fully occupied for for manufacturing the specimens.

To meet these drawbacks special machines have already been designed for manufacturing short warps economically. With these machinesthe thread or a number of threads is wound continuously on to a reel or like winding body and subsequently'the windings are cut through, so that a number of shortwarpthreads desired for the warp is obtained. With machines of this type known in the art in many cases the difficulty arises that for manufacturing warps for multicolored fabric specimens, andespecially those warps in which a certain design occurs in a number of different color combinations, the color changes can only be obtained by repeatedly cutting off the threads and retying them to another yarn.

This makes this manner of assembling of warps for multicolored specimens also time-consuming and thereby unattractive.

Other machines known in the art are only suitable for certain designs, causing the applicabilities of these machines to be limited and for other designs one depends ultimately on the production machines. 7

lt is the object of the invention to provide a method that enables an economical assembling of short warps for multicolored specimens and that moreover is suitable to be performed by automatically working apparatuses.

For that purpose the method according to the invention is characterized in that of each of the yarns occurring in the desired pattern at least one thread is continuously wound on to a rotating winding body with at least two coaxial winding surfaces, the one of which has a large and the other, in comparison, a considerably smaller circumference, and that the threads are wound alternately, according to the sequence in which the various yarns occur in the desired pattern on to a winding surface with the large circumference, whereas the remaining threads are wound on to a winding surface with the small circumference.

With this way of winding a change of color is simply brought about by transferring the thread being wound onto the large winding surface, to the small winding surface, and at the same time transferring one of the threads being wound onto the small winding surface onto the large winding surface.

Accordingly, the repeated time-consuming cutting and retying of the thread is avoided, so that without interruption or even decrease of speed winding can continue.

The thread windings laid onto the large winding surface are cut through after completion of the winding and transferred on to a warp beam. The thread-windings laid onto the small winding surface must be considered waste. The total length of them need not, however, amount to more than a low percentage of the total length of the warp threads obtained and is of little importance as compared with the saving oflabor.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for the performance of the method described above, said apparatus comprising a rotatable winding body and a device for feeding onto the winding body two or more threads. For this purpose the apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the winding body is provided with at least two coaxial winding surfaces, one of them having a considerably smaller circumference than the other, and that the threadfeeding device is provided with two or more thread guides, each of them being displaceable as regards the winding body in such a way that a thread fed onto the winding body by a thread guide is wound on by the one or the other winding surface, depending on depending on the position of the thread guide.

The displacements of the thread guides required for obtaining the desired warp design can be brought about entirely automatically by coupling the thread guides to-a control device known in the art, that e.g. can be programmed with the aid of a control panel on which counters have to be adjusted according to the desired design, or with the aid of punched cards, punched tapes, magnetic tapes or other like means.

The apparatus according to the invention can be realized in various ways. One of the possible embodiments is characterized in that the small winding surface is situated within the large winding surface and in that each of the thread guides is provided to the end of an arm stretching approximately in the axial direction of the winding body, which arm is movable from a position in which the thread guide is outside the small winding surface and inside the large winding surface into a position in which the thread guide is outside the large winding surface, and vice versa. With the former position of the thread guide the thread is wound onto the small winding surface, whereas with the latter position of the thread guide the thread is wound onto the large winding surface.

ln a preferential embodiment this apparatus according to the invention is further characterized in that the large winding surface is formed by a number of spokes projecting freely and approximately axially and in that the arms to which the thread guides are connected are displaceable radially, from the position situated within this winding surface to that outside this winding surface and vice versa.

By thus constructing the large winding surface as a reel open at one end, the arms which carry the thread guides, can shift immediately from the one position to the other by moving radially between the spokes of this reel over a slight distance.

In another embodiment the apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that a large and a small winding surface are provided on the winding body next to each other and that each of the thread guides can be displaced individually from a position radially opposite to the small winding surface to a position radially opposite to the large winding surface, and vice versa.

This construction of the apparatus is particularly suitable to be applied in a sectional apparatus. For this purpose such an apparatus according to the invention is further characterized in that it consists of a number of sections that each comprise a large and a small winding surface situated next to it and at least two thread guides, and in that the displacement of every thread guide from the one position to the other is coupled with the displacement of one thread guide of every other section.

With such an apparatus all sections of a warp with a recurrent design and each containing a complete design can be wound simultaneously, also when in the warp the design occurs in different color combinations.

The invention is further elucidated below by means of two embodiments schematically shown in the drawing.

In the drawing FIG. 1 shows:

A schematical view of the first embodiment,

F [0. 2-7 a schematical axial view of the apparatus in the successive stages of the winding process,

FIG. 8-11 a schematic view of the second embodiment in the successive stages of winding process, and

FIG. 12 a variant of the embodiment according to FlGS. 8- 1 1.

In the embodiment according to FlGS. 1-7 on shaft 1 pivotally supported in its bearings there is reel 2 open at one side, the freely stretching arms 310 of which form the winding surface.

From the open side of reel 2 a number of arms, of which for the sake of simplicity the drawing shows only arms 11 and 12, stretches in the winding surface formed by spokes 310. Arms 11 and 12, at their free end provided with thread guide eyes 13, each are supported by a guide not shown in the drawing and mounted beyond the open side of reel 2, causing arms 11 and 12 to be individually radially displaceable as regards shaft 1 to the positions 11' respectively 12' situated outside the winding surface of reel 2.

For this displacement during which arms 11 and 12 remain parallel to shaft 1, arms 11 and 12 each are connected with a pneumatic cylinder 14.

For the assembling of a warp in which threads of two different colors alternate in a certain way to be chosen arbitrarily, two threads 15 and 16, of which each has one of the desired colors, are guided through thread guide eye 13 of arms 11, respectively 12 and attached to shaft 1 of reel 2.

By rotating shaft 1 with reel 2 e.g. in a counterclockwise direction, the two threads 15 and 16 are wound onto shaft 1.

If for the first thread of the warp to be formed e.g. the color, of thread 16 should be desired, then by actuating the relating pneumatic cylinder 14 at the right moment arm 12 is moved with thread 16 between spokes 3 and 10 of reel 2, to position 12 situated outside reel 2, causing thread 16 to be taken along by spoke 3 and wound on to the reel (see FIG. 2).

When spoke 4 has passed arms 11 and 12, arm 12 is moved back between spokes 4 and 5 to the position inside reel 2 (see FIG. 3) and next again brought back between spokes 5 and 6 to position 12'. The result of this is, that thread 16 does not lie across but under spoke 5 (see FIG. 4). The meaning of this is elucidated hereinafter.

If for the second thread of the warp the color of thread 15 should be desired, arm 12 is moved back in its rest position inside reel 2, after spoke 10 has been passed. At the same time arm 11 is moved to position 11' with thread 15, which during the above cycle was wound onto the shaft 1 (see FIG. 5.), now causing thread to be taken along by spoke 3 and to be wound on to the reel (see FlG. 6).

After spoke 5 has passed arm 11 is moved back to its starting position inside reel 2, to be moved again to position 11' (see FIG. 7) after spoke 6 has passed. By this thread 15 does not come to lie across, but under spoke 6. Subsequently thread 15 is wound onto the remaining spokes. ln the meantime thread 16 is wound on to shaft 1.

If for the following warp thread also thread 15 should be desired, arm 11 will remain in position 11' until spoke 4 has passed. On passing of spoke 5 arm 11 is brought inside reel 2 and next moved back to position 11'.

If on the contrary for this warp thread 16 should be desired arm 11 returns to its rest position after spoke 10 has passed and at the same time arm 12 is moved to position 12, so as temporarily to be brought back inside reel 2 when spoke 4 passes.

in this way windings of threads 15 and 16 can be laid on to reel 2 in every desired sequence. In doing so the odd threads always pass under spoke Sand the even threads under spoke 6, causing a lease to be laid between spokes 5 and 6 with the aid of which lease it is possible to keep the warp threads thus obtained in the proper sequence when cutting through the windings.

The thread windings that are laid on to shaft 1 on winding of reel 2, can be considered waste, but because the circum ference of shaft 1 is much smaller than that of reel 2, this loss of yarn is of no significance.

By applying a large number of arms provided with a threadguide eye 13 warps can be assembled from a large number of differently colored, threads in the way as referred to.

ioas

By displacing shaft 1 with reel 2 slowly to the left or arms 11, 12 to the right during the winding process, the windings can be laid next to each other on reel 2. In most cases this will be necessary to prevent difficulties on unwinding of the warp threads.

In the embodiment according to FlGS. 8-11 the apparatus in principle comprises a shaft 21 rotatably supported in its bearings with mounted onto it a number of discs, of which, for the sake of simplicity, the drawing only shows the two discs 22 and 23, and a number of sliding rods, of which in FlGS. 8, 10 and 11 only the sliding rods 24 and 25 have been indicated, which sliding rods 24, respectively 25 have been furnished with thread guide eyes 26, respectively 27 provided near disc 22 and thread guide eyes 28, respectively 29 provided near disc 23. Threads 30, 31, 32 and 33, respectively, which are attached to shaft 21, are fed through thread guide eyes 26, 27, 28 and 29 respectively. At the edge of their winding surface discs 22 and 23 are provided with projections 34 and 35.

Disc 22 is also provided with two arms 36 and 37, slantingly projecting from the cylindrical winding surface, which arms are provided on shafts 38, respectively 39 pivotably and approximately radially supported in their bearings in disc 22. Similarly disc 23 is provided with projecting arms 40 and 41, which are provided on shafts 42, respectively 43. Arms 36, 37, 40 and 41 simultaneously can make a swinging movement of about causing them to come from the position shown in FIG. 8 into the position shown in FIG. 20. For this position shown in FIG. 8 into the causing them to come from the position shown in FlG. 8 into the position shown in FIG. 10. For this purpose the common control rod 44 is provided in the hollow shaft 21.

In the rest position of sliding rods 24 and 25 guide eyes 26, 27, respectively 28, 29 are opposite to the shaft sections to the right of discs 22, respectively 23.

Through this threads 30, 31, 32 and 33 all are wound on to shaft 21 when this is rotated.

If for example sliding rod 24 should be moved to the left, so that guide eye is taken along by projection 34 and wound on to disc 22 (see FlG. 8).

In doing so through the position of arms 36 and 37 thread 30 comes to lie to the right of shaft 38 and to the left of shaft 39. With the next rotation of disc 22 the position of arms 36 and 37 in the meantime has been exchanged by control device 44 into the position indicated in FlG. 10, whereby the next winding comes to lie to the left of shaft 38 and to the right of shaft 39. In this way a lease is formed between arms 36 and 37 functioning as separators.

When in view of the desired design the next thread has to be one with a different color, sliding rod 24 is moved to the right until guide eyes 26 and 28 are again opposite to the sections of shaft 21 situated by the side of discs 22 and 23 and guide eyes 27 and 29 are placed opposite to discs 22 and 23 by moving sliding rod 25. Then thread 31 is taken along by projection 34 and wound on to disc 22 (see FIG. 11).

At the same time threads 32 and 33 are similarly wound on to disc 23 in the same order as threads 30 and 31 and here also a lease is laid between shafts 42 and 43 by arms 40 and 41. Thus on each of discs 22 and 23 a part of the warp with the design is formed. Because threads 32 and 33 need not be identical to threads 30 and 31, the design of the two warp parts may have a different color combination.

The number of discs on shaft 21 and the number of guide eyes on each of the sliding rods corresponding with them, as well as the number of sliding rods, may be chosen entirely according to the need, causing the apparatus to have a considerable great range of application.

By providing several separators on the periphery of the discs it is likewise possible with an apparatus of the type described to manufacture warps, the length of which is a multiple of the circumference of the discs, so that the apparatus, besides for warps for specimens, also can be used for manufacture of warps for smaller production-units.

Instead of the movable separators 36, 37, 40, 41 described fixed separators may be supplied, which as FIG. 12 shows, consist of rods 46, freely projecting in axial direction to one side, and situated above winding surface 45. With this variant guide eye 47 is connected with sliding rod 49 via a rod 48 bent at right angles and the moving mechanism of these sliding rods has been arranged to perform besides movements in axial direction, also to perform movements in radial direction. The radial moving facility of guide eye 47 enables the thread to be laid on the winding surface or, according to choice, across one or more of separators 46.

We claim:

1. A method for assembling according to a random pattern warps for the manufacture of fabrics from two or more yarns differing from each other, in particular the comparatively short warps for the manufacture of fabric specimens, wherein of each of the yarns occurring in the desired pattern at least one thread is continuously wound onto a rotating winding body with at least two coaxial winding surfaces, the one of which has a large and the other, in comparison, a considerably smaller circumference, and the threads are wound alternately according to the sequence in which the various yarns occur in the desired pattern, onto a winding surface with the large circumference, whereas the remaining threads are wound onto a winding surface with the small circumference.

2. An apparatus for assembling according to a random pattern warps for the manufacture of fabrics from two or more yarns differing from each other, in particular the comparatively short warps for the manufacture of fabric specimens, comprising a rotatable winding body and a device for feeding onto the winding body two or more threads, the winding body having at least two coaxial winding surfaces, one winding surface being considerably smaller than the other, and the threadfeeding device having two or more thread guides, each of the thread guides being displaceable relative to the winding body in such a way that a thread fed onto the winding body by a thread guide is wound on by the one or the other winding surface, depending on the position of the thread guide.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the small winding surface is situated inside the large winding surface and each of the thread guides is provided to the end of an arm stretching approximately in the axial direction of the winding body, which arm is movable from a position in which the thread guide is outside the small winding surface and inside the large winding surface into a position in which the thread guide is outside the large winding surface and vice versa.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the large winding surface is formed by a number of spokes approximately axially stretching freely and in the arms to which the thread guides are connected, are displaceable radially, from the position situated within this winding surface to that outside this winding surface and vice versa.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a large and a small winding surface are provided on the winding body next to each other and each of the thread guides can be displaced individually from a position radially opposite to the small winding surface to a position radially opposite to the large winding surface and vice versa.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, consisting of a number of sections that each comprise a large and a small winding surface.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the large winding surface on its edge facing the small winding surface belonging to it is provided with an approximately axial projection.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein every large winding surface on its edge facing the small winding surface belonging to it is provided with an approximately axial projection.

ag UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 587 ,l46 Dated June 28, 1971 Inventor(s) Johannes G.M.C.H. Van Luyk et al.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Title page, [73], "Nedelandse" should be -Nederlandse.

Column 1, line 18, "independent of specimens that the length" should be -independent of the length-; line 26, delete "for" second occurrence;'

Column 2, line 15, delete "depending on" second occurrence.

should be -ontoline 56, after "thread" insert --thread-;

Column 4, line 28, "FIG. 20" should be -FIG. l0; lines 28-30, delete "For this position shown in FIG. 8 into the causing them to come from the position shown in FIG. 8 into the position shown in FIG. 10."; line 37,

"on to" should be -onto-; line 40, after "guide eye" insert the following 26 is situated opposite to disc 22, then thread 30 fed through this guide eye; line 45, "exchanged" should be -changed; line 56, "on to" should be onto--; line 57, "on to" should be --onto; line 62, prior to "design" insert -same--. Column 5, line 10, "on the winding" should be --onto the winding--. Column 6, line 14, delete "in"; line 26, after "surface" add the following -situated next to each other and at least two threadguides, the displacement of every thread-guide from the one position to the other being coupled with the displacement of one thread-guide of every other section-.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of June 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,J'R. ROBERT GOT'ISCHALK J Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

